Shooting devices, such as archery bows and firearms, can be relatively heavy. For example, compound bows and long range rifles can weigh over twenty pounds. When aiming, the user must hold the shooting device away from the user's body for a period of time. The user's arms can quickly tire. While aiming, the fatigued muscles can twitch or pulsate, and the user's arms and hands can shake. The twitching, pulsation and shaking causes vibration in the shooting device. Depending upon the strength of the user, the length of the aiming period and the weight of the shooting device, the magnitude of the vibration can be relatively high. For example, the shooting device can vibrate enough so that the vibration is noticeable to the eye. The continuous vibration of the shooting device can impede the user's ability to reach the desired aiming position in a timely fashion. The vibration can also make it difficult for the user to maintain the desired aiming position until ready to shoot. Therefore, the vibration can impair the user's aiming and shooting performance.
In addition, the shooting action of the shooting device generates a post-shooting force. The post-shooting force, which can be in the form of a shock, is caused by the mechanism that propels the projectile forward. In firearms, this post-shooting force, known as recoil, is caused by the explosion of the gun powder in the ammunition. In archery bows, this post-shooting force is caused by the spring action of the bow limbs. After the user releases the arrow, the bow limbs typically reverberate upward and downward causing upward and downward, post-shooting forces within the handgrip. The post-shooting forces can: transmit through the shooting device in the form of vibrational energy; accelerate the shooting device causing kickback or quick movements; or cause a combination of vibration and acceleration.
The effects of the post-shooting forces can be uncomfortable, harsh and even painful. Depending upon the type of shooting device, vibrational energy and acceleration can sting the hands or cause pain or injury to the arms, shoulders or other parts of the body. In sessions of continuous shooting, the continuous exposure to the vibrational energy can cause muscle fatigue and reduce the user's overall shooting abilities and performance.
For archery bows, there is a known dampener rod—an attempt to address the vibrational energy that occurs after the shooting. The dampener rod screws into the bow. The end of the dampener rod has a rubber damper. There are several disadvantages with the dampener rod. The rod's rubber damper fails to absorb a substantial amount of the post-shooting, vibrational energy in the bow. Also, the rubber damper fails to absorb the vibrational energy occurring during the aiming process before the shooting. Consequently, despite the use of the dampener rod, the user is subject to numerous challenges, including: aiming difficulties during the aiming process before shooting, impairment of shooting accuracy, and pain or discomfort after the shooting occurs.
The foregoing background describes some, but not necessarily all, of the problems, disadvantages and shortcomings related to the use of shooting devices.